Red Claw and Acorn Fur
by Smokestarrules
Summary: This is a oneshot about two of my favorite cats who deserved more time in the book. *spoilers for Moth Flight's Visions*


**yeah... I really liked these two... Hope you like! :D**

* **Flashback** *

 _Red Claw's heart thumped furiously as he noticed Acorn Fur returned to camp. He purred to himself and immediately ran over to greet her, twining his tail with hers and touching his nose to her muzzle._

 _"It's good to see you!" He purred, before realizing that she wasn't leaning into his embrace like normal. Instead, she seemed to be avoiding his gaze. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked her softly, tilting her head to that her green gaze locked onto his own amber one._

 _The reddish-brown she-cat sighed sadly, and Red Claw's worry deepened. "We can't do this anymore..." She murmured, and his eyes widened. Stumbling back onto his haunches, he stared at her with wide, hurt-filled eyes. "W-why not?" He asked, silently cursing himself for stammering._

 _She looked away, and he noticed her heartbroken look that reflected his own. "StarClan has f-forbidden medicine cats to have k-kits... Or mates..."_

 _Acorn Fur muttered, tears filling her eyes. Red Claw blinked in astonishment, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I-I..." He stopped, staring at the cat he'd come to love in sadness._

 _"I'm sorry!"_

 _Acorn Fur blurted out, staring back at him. "But I couldn't give up being a medicine cat!" She dropped her green gaze to her paws again, and Red Claw stood up, teetering slightly on his weak legs._

 _"I'm not mad at you..." He said finally, keeping his gaze on his paws. "I-I've got to go..." He had to get out of there, fast. He walked agonizingly slowly back to his den before entering it and curling up in his nest, staring over beside him where he'd been constructing another nest, for a cat just a bit smaller than himself._

 _With a pained groan he rolled over and fell asleep, emotionally exhausted._

 _SkyClan was in trouble. Dozens of rogues had attacked unprovoked, and Leaf had been sent to ThunderClan for help. Red Claw ducked under a small tabby's claws and battered at their belly, sending the tabby yowling away. Another cat quickly took their place, a orange-and-white she-cat with blazing blue eyes._

 _She clawed his muzzle and he fell back, showing his teeth. He leapt at her, but she slid underneath his attack and head-butted his stomach, succeeding in both knocking the breath out of him, and making his land painfully on his back. She immediately leapt on top of him and raked his underbelly with her hind claws, holding him down._

 _Red Claw writhed with pain but he couldn't escape, his claws thumped uselessly against her shoulder. Suddenly his scarred ears twitched as he picked up a yowl of terror and pain. He'd know that screech anywhere, it was Acorn Fur! Finding newfound strength, he flung the she-cat off of himself and raced back into the battle, ignoring the blood flooding from his belly._

 _The yell came again, but closer. He whipped around and saw a black tabby tom holding his paw over Acorn Fur's exposed throat, and Red Claw snapped._

 _He reacted instantly, springing at the tom and carrying him off his paws, before sinking his teeth into the tabby's throat. 'What am I doing?!' Panic shot through Red Claw, and he stumbled back from the tom, before having guilt settle in his stomach. The tabby's ice-blue eyes were faded... Dead._

 _A wave of guilt shot through him, before he remembered Acorn Fur. He turned around, noticing with relief that she seemed to be okay. He took a few pawsteps towards her, and promptly fell to the ground. The pain came rushing back and the strength he'd gained had left him._

 _"Red Claw!"_

 _Acorn Fur's eyes widened and she sprinted over to him. "Red Claw, hang on!" She was begging, but he could feel the life leaving him. "Acorn... F-Fur..."_

 _He stammered, feeling the world grow cold, the sounds, dimmed. "What, Red Claw?" She asked hopelessly, draping her tail over his back. "I... N-n-never... St-stopped l-loving... You..." He forced the words out, as the world darkened once more, until all he could see was her._

 _"R-Red Claw..." She murmured, her beautiful green eyes filling with tears. "I lo-" She was too late._

 _The light left Red Claw's soft amber eyes, and he slumped to the ground, having breathed his last breath._

*End Flashback*

Acorn Fur looked around, her joints stretching in a way she didn't think she'd ever be able to again. Her face split with a smile as she recognized the area she was in- StarClan. "Welcome, Acorn Fur." A familiar voice says, and she felt joy rush through her. "Lightning Tail, Hawk Swoop, Jackdaw's Cry... You're all here!"

She ran and reunited with her family, feeling the pain of dying wash away. "You've left SkyClan in capable paws." Her mother, Hawk Swoop, says wisely. "Falconfang will pass on what you've taught him to his own apprentice..." Acorn Fur smiled at them, feeling as though she would burst with happiness. "But that is not all." A strong voice cuts in, and Acorn Fur turns to see Half Moon padding towards her.

"Stoneteller."

The younger she-cat said, dipping her head respectively. "What do you mean? I don't know what else could make me happier!" Acorn Fur asked the white she-cat, confused. Half Moon simply purred, smiling at Acorn Fur kindly. "There are many rules that the Clans must follow, but here, most are overtaken..."

Half Moon paused, but upon Acorn Fur's inquiring look, continued.

"Such as, however, the rule of medicine cats forbidden to take mates..."

Stoneteller trailed off, but that was enough. Acorn Fur's eyes widened, and a shy smile took place. She'd never been so happy. "Oh thank you, thank you!" She cried, before dashing off to follow the scent of someone special.

Red Claw was hunting, a mouse in his sights. He couched, careful as not to rustle the grass, crept closer, and... Crash! The mouse ran for cover as a cat thumped clumsily in front of him.

"Hey! You ruined my hu-!"

Red Claw cut himself off as he stared at the cat who'd fallen, his heart beating faster. "Acorn Fur?" He asked unsteadily, and she smiled at him, the small, shy smile that'd he'd first fallen in love with.

"Oh Red Claw..." She purred, pressing her nose to his muzzle. "I... I love you..." She murmured, and he blinked.

Cautiously, he bent his neck to lick her ears softly, his fluffy tail slowly twining with her sleek one. "I love you too, Acorn Fur..." He purred strongly, pressing his muzzle to hers.

Finally, for the first time since she'd come back from the Moonstone that fateful day, he was at peace.


End file.
